By Asha Elmi - Reporter
SOMALIA, Aug. 16, 2026 — A court in Garowe, the capital of Somalia’s Puntland State, has sentenced two defendants to six months in prison each after finding them guilty of violating the Puntland flag, according to a ruling broadcast by Puntland State Television on Saturday.
The court identified the defendants as Abdirahman Ahmed Hamud, 19, and Mohamed Yusuf Ali, 17, both from Garowe.
According to the ruling, the two admitted stepping on the Puntland flag and posting a video of the incident on TikTok. During the hearing, they told the court that the act had not been planned.
Prosecutors accused the defendants of violating Article 219 of the Somali Penal Code, which they said covers offences against national symbols, and asked the court to sentence each of them to one year in prison.
The defendants appealed for leniency, saying they were students and that the incident had been a mistake. One asked the court to allow him to continue his education.
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The court said it considered the defendants’ admissions, evidence presented by the prosecution, and photographs and videos showing them stepping on the flag and sharing footage of the incident on social media.
It convicted both defendants under Article 219, read together with Article 71 of the Somali Penal Code, and sentenced each to six months in prison.
The defendants expressed regret over the incident and asked the court to replace the prison terms with financial penalties.
In its ruling, the court said the offence was committed against the Puntland flag and the dignity of the Puntland community.